Diffusion apparatus



March 18, 1952 A. J. P. oLlER 2,589,568

DIFFUSION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1949 20L I 4 i, Zz/lf 52| l 7 I n 28 5' ZTa 46 7L px /9 I I I 6 27=5j 5 5 Et ya 44a Tf l5 M j W1 r' @i J7 iw JMX Patented Mar. 18, 1952 2,589,563 K DIFFUSION APPARATUS Andr Jean Pierre Olier, Laure, France, assignor to Societe Anonyme des Etablissements A. Olier, Clermont-Ferrand, France,l a- French company Application November 29, 1949, Serial No. 130,049 In FranceAprl 21, 1948 9 Claims. (Cl. 127-7 It is well known that in the sugar industry so-called continuous diiusion apparatuses may be used in order to extract from beets cut into slices or chips the sugar .juice contained therein.

Such apparatuses essentially comprise a unit of vertical conduit (or column) elements which are connected together through bent connecting pieces and in which an endless mechanical conveyor carries the chips at a uniform rate in contact with a liquid of treatment circulating in the opposite direction, said liquid being used for the purpose of extracting through diffusion the sugar contained in said chips. The endless mechanical conveyor is preferably formed of a series of perforated transversal discs or plates carried by two endless parallel'chains or other bonds guided through loose pulleys. In the case of a chain conveyor said pulleys are provided with teeth the pitch of which corresponds to the pitch of the chain.

During the operation, the chains may take a certain play owing either to the elongation of the chains themselves or to the wear of the rotary parts such as pulleys, axes, bearings and the like. The presence of this harmful play may entail serious deteriorations such as Catchings or breakings of the conveyor.

The present invention has for its object an improved continuous diiusion apparatus for the sugar industry or the like which makes it possible to avoid the above mentioned disadvantages.

The invention has more particularly for its object a continuous diffusion apparatus which comprises means through which the rope or ropes, chains or other bonds of the endless conveyor which carries the substances to be treated ma be tensioned directly.

-The invention has also for its object a continuous diffusion apparatus wherein one at least of the elements of the endless conduit is movable vertically and acts under the action of its own weight and of the weight of the materials which it contains as an automatic tensioning device p for the ropes, chains or other bonds of the endless conveyor.

The movable conduit element may be with advantage U-shaped, both legs of the U being duit is, as a matter of fact, an additional element which extends the total length of the endless treatment circuit so that the extraction by diffusion is more complete because of the larger development of the wetted surface owing to the increase in length of the treatment circuit. Thus, a richer and pure extraction juice is obtained.

Other features and advantages of the inven tion will appear from the following description.-

In the accompanying drawing which is given by way of example:

Fig. l is a diagrammatical front elevational View showing an improved continuous diffusion apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 isa sectional view taken along line.2-.2 of Fig. 1. l

Referring to the example shown and more particularly to Fig. 1, the continuous diffusionv apparatus comprises a series of vertical columns formed of conduit elements I assembled at I. The outermost columns 2a and 2b and the intermediary columns are connected through tubular connecting pieces 4 shown in a part median sectional view. On both outermost columns 2*3L and 2b rests a box 5 shown in a median sectional View and formed of metallic elements 6 assembled at 1. Box 5 comprises two end pieces 8 and 9 in its lower part. The -unit formed of the columns and of the head constitutes the stationary part of the circuit. The movable part of the circuit is formed of a conduit element II which is U- shaped and comprises, for example, two column elements I2 Aand I3 connected through a connecting piece I4 similar to connecting pieces 4. The free ends of elements I2 and I3 are vprovided with aring spouts I5 and I6 in which the lower endsof end pieces 8 and 9 are inserted with some play.

The stationary and movable parts of the circuit are made fast with each other through an endless conveyor formed, in a known manner, of discs I'I assembled at the ends of a diameter through side chains (or ropes) only one of which is shown at I8 in the drawing, the second being behind 'the first one in a plane perpendicular to the figure. Said endless chains, the path of whichvis represented through an interrupted axial line III;l rest on both series of wheels 2B keyed two by two on axes 2| so as to provide between them a space which is sufficient for the free passage of discs I'I. Axes 2I rotate in bearings provided in the side walls of the connecting pieces 4 and box 5. The outermost wheels 2lEL and 2 Ib of the *Y stationary part of the circuit are arranged so that vthe discs (which are indicated at ITE) may 39 on tube 36.

`ing member shown at 22 and 23 respectively.

Said guiding members slide on a certain number of small columns 24, 25 secured for example, on side brackets 26, 21 of a lower connecting piece 28. Compression springs 29 and 30 are arranged between brackets I4a, I4b and adjusting nuts 24e,

' 25a are screwed onto externally threaded parts of small columns 24, 25.

The chain conveyor is driven, for example,Y

through an electric motor (not shown) actuating one ofV the pairs of wheels 2D, the conveyor moving, for example, in the direction shown by the arrows.

The feeding device consists in a feeder 3| over which a charging conduit 32 is mounted through which the chips are introduced; a photo-electriccell 33 and a source of light 34 are arranged on both sides of conduit 32 opposite inspection windows which are transparent to the flux of light 35 sent out through source 34. Cell 33 is combined as well known perse with a relay (not shown) provided in order` to stop the motor driving the conveyor in case, the charging of conduit 32 being interrupted, the flux of light reaches cell 33 and renders it conducting.

The extracting liquid, water, for example, is-

brought through a tube 36 opening into outlet tube 31 of an output regulator 38 of any current type which controls the opening of an inlet valve The outlet tube 31 of the regulator is connected at 40 to the upper part of.

the outermost column 2a s'o that the extracting' liquid flows by gravity in a direction contrary to that vof the moving conveyor. Y

` The recovery of the liquid rich in sugar is efl fected owing to a device for taking liquid mounted on the outermost column 2b on-a level lower than the level of the connecting piece 4D for the inlet of the extracting liquid. As shown in Fig. 2, said device consists at least of a box 4I secured to the side of a conduit element I of column 2b. Thewall which separates the column from box 4I is perforated at 42 in order to form a depulping grating sugar juice passes. its upper part is vsecured in the axis of the box and leads in its lower part to a suitable vessel 44'I in which the sugar juice is collected. Since the'- liquid cannot flow through the wheel which ismounted above column 2b, it is necessary, if it is. desired to treat the fresh chips which circulate in the movable conduit II, to recycle the liquidv collected at 4I into the portion of the movable circuit Ywhich is formed of conduit II.

To this end, vessel 44 comprises in its lower end a pipe nozzle 44a which communicates with a pump 4'5 capable of delivering the liquid from vessel 44 through a conduit 46 and a preheater 41 of an electric or other type into a conduit 4B terminating in three nozzles 49, 50, 5I provided with valves 52, 53, 54 and opening above column 2b and Veach of branchesV I2 and I3 of movable conduit I I respectively. Through the play of the above mentioned valves it is possible to recycle the Vpreheated sugar juice into a portion of theV circuit which corresponds to chips which are still rich in sugar. Branch I2 which-directly receives or lter through which the A tube 43 which is open in.-

4sage on wheel 2Ie. The chips move through the following circuit in the direction of the arrows: movable conduit I I, column 2b, intermediary columns, columns 2e; in their final horizontal path (before wheel ZIa) the chips fall, exhausted, through an opening into a suitable recovery vessel (not shown). Meanwhile the sugar which they contain dissolved in the extraction liquid introduced at 43 at the top of column 2a. The liquid which is already rich in sugar is taken out of box 4I through tube. 43 vand delivered through pump 45 into one at least of nozzles 49, 50, 5I after its passage through preheater 41. The liquid enriched at the maximum is finally collected in box 51.

The chains of the conveyor are tensioned automatically owingto the weight of movable conduit II and of the chips contained therein. The tensile stress exerted on the chains may be compensated through compression springs 29 and 30 when the load of conduit II is too high. Nuts 24EL and 25a which are adjustable in height make it possible to adjust the compensating action of theA above mentioned springs.

' Of course, the improvements in accordance with the invention are not limited to the described diffusion apparatus which was chosen by way of example and they may also be applied to apparatuses which comprise an endless conveyor.

What I claim is:

l. vIn a continuous diffusion apparatus, more especially adapted for the sugar industry, a conduit forming a closed circuit, on the one hand, for the material to be treated between an inletI opening for the fresh material and an outlet opening for the exhausted material and, on the other hand, for a liquid of treatment between an inlet opening for said liquid and an outlet opening for the liquid `enriched in products removed from said material through diffusion, endless flexible conveying means movable in said conduit in order to move said material therein, and one element at least of said conduit being a U-shaped element slideably mounted in the extremities of the stationary remainder of said conduit and movable vertically, and being carried by the axle of a pulley supported by said flexible conveying means, whereby said means are tensioned by the action of the weights of said U-shapedelement, and of that of the materials contained therein.

2. A continuous diffusion apparatus as claimed in claim l wherein said pulley is concentric to the centre of the bend of said U and below which said conveyor passes.

v 3. A continuo-us diffusion apparatus as claimed in claim l wherein at least two small guiding columns are provided for guiding said movable conduitelement.

4. A continuous diffusion apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein springs are arranged on said small columns in order to compensate the excess of `tension to which said conveying means is subassasea jected in case of an overload of said movable conduit; element.

5. A continuous diffusion apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closed circuit comprises two outermost vertical columns whose top ends are connected through a horizontal box. and said movable element opens in the lower wall of said box. f

6. A continuous diffusion apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said inlet for the fresh material to be treated is arranged at the beginning of the upstream side of said movable conduit element with respect to the direction of movement of the material to be treated.

7. A continuous diffusion appara u s as claimed in claim 6 wherein the extracting'liduid circulating in the direction contrary to that,4 of the material to be treated, said outlet opening for the enriched liquid is located on the upstream side of said movable conduit element with respect to the zo direction of circulation of the extracting liquid, and means are provided for recycling the liquid enriched into said movable conduit element.

8. A continuous diiusion apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein a, depulpin'g grating is arranged on said outlet opening rfor the enriched liquid.

9. A continuous diffusion apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said movablef conduit element comprises a device with a dpulping grating for collecting the nal liquid.`

ANDRE JEAN PIERRE oLIER.

, REFERENCES CITED 'I hefollowing references are of record in the le offthis patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS Number;

Great Britain May 17, 1923 

